Semiautomatic adjustable rail brace



April 8, 1950 e. s. VICKROY SEMIAUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE RAIL BRACE hwenloxr 67209655 V/C/(EOK hi5 Jfrmgz Filed Feb. 13, 1948 Patented Apr. 18, 1950 SEMIAUTOMATIC ADJUSTABLE RAIL BRACE George S. Vickroy, Johnstown, Pa., assignor to Carnegie-Illinois Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 13, 1948, Serial No. 8,124

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a semi-automatic adjustable rail brace and more particularly to such a brace which is used in conjunction with means for holding down the rail.

In, adjustable rail braces most commonly used at present'the locking means are either horizontal or vertical threaded bolts or cotter pins. Corrosion of the bolt threads causes the bolts to freeze in position which necessitates loosening or removing the bolts before the brace can be adjusted. The same is, true to a certain extent when cotter pins are used. Thus, it is seen that after the braces are exposed to the weather for some time it may be impossible to readily adjust them. In some cases the bolts or nuts thereon must be replaced before the brace can be readjusted.

It is an object of my invention to provide a rail brace which. is adjustable semi-automatically.

Another object is to provide an adjustable brace which does not require bolts or cotter pins for locking the brace in position.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure I is a plan view of my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, of a part of my invention;

Figure 4 is a. view, partly in section, taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view showing a modification of my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2 indicates a tie plate which is provided with a seat 4 for the rail 6. Spaced from the rail, at one side thereof, is a longitudinal stop 8 which is welded or otherwise fastened to tie plate 2. An adjustable brace ID has one end contacting the head of the rail as shown and the other end resting on the plate 2 and extending toward the stop 8. It will be understood that the brace I could be provided with side flanges that extend down to the rail base. The web l2 of the brace has an opening l4 therein for a purpose which will appear later. The stop 8 is arranged at an angle to the rail so that a space 16- is provided between thebottom of the brace l0 and the wedge 8, the space being wider at one end than at the other. A wedge I 8 is provided to lit in this space. The stop 8 instead of having a vertical contact face, as shown, against the wedge I 8 may be tapered downwardly away from the wedge I8 with a corresponding contact surface on the wedge, thus preventing any accidental vertical displacement of the wedge. Another alternative would be to provide an overhanging rib on stop 8.

The wedge I8 has a longitudinal slot 2G. which is open to the side adjacent the rail brace H)" A series of teeth or serrations, 22 is provided in the longitudinal side surface of thebrace t0. Located in the slot 25 is a pair of locking springs 24 which are fastened tothe wedge it. As shown, the springs are fastened by having their forward ends bent at 26' and forced into a bent opening 28 which communicates with the slot 23; The free ends of. the springs are normally bent so that theywil-l be biased toward the serrations 22. The shapes of the free ends are such. that they will fit into the; serrations 22. The spacing of the serrations 22 is such with respect to the spacing of the free ends of the springs 29-, that the wedge l3 need be moved only part of the distance between two adjacent serrations for one of the spring ends to enter a serration. In other words, the distance between spring ends is not an exact multiple of the distance between serrations, so that there is a verniereffect created.

Two different shapes of the serrations: 2?; and the ends. of the springs are shown. in Figures 3 and 5.

Fastened to the tie plate. 2- is, an inverted U-shaped member 38 which, extends upwardly from the tie. plate into the opening M. The length of the inverted U member 38 is substantially as great as the length of the. opening, It, but the opening i4. is. considerably greater in width than the width of the inverted. U. member 3! The stop 8 is provided with a. slot 32 at its upper inner corner. A spring clip 34,, shaped as shown, passes through. the opening; in the inverted U member 30, with one end, bearing on. the base of the rail. 6 and the other end resting in the slot 32. Thus, the spring acts to hold down the rail and prevent accidental vertical displacement of the wedge.

The device is assembled and functions as: follows:

The brace I0 is put in position with the inverted U-shaped member 30 extending upwardly through the opening it. The wedge i8 is then inserted between the brace l0 and stop 8, and the end of the wedge tapped with a spike maul and driven ahead until the brace 10 is firmly positioned against the rail. Longitudinal movement of the brace is prevented by the member 30 in the opening l4, but transverse movement of the brace is permitted because of the greater width of the opening Hi. When the wedge is driven ahead one of the locking springs 24 automatically snaps into one of the serrations 22 to hold the assembly in the adjusted position. The spring clip 34 is then inserted into the opening in U-shaped member 38, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. If the parts become worn or loose, the brace It can be firmly positioned against the rail by again driving the wedge l8 ahead. In disassembling the device, the spring clip 34 is pried loose with a pinch bar. The wedge I8 is then raised by means of a pinch bar, thereby disengaging the locking springs 24.

While I have shown two locking springs 2 3 in wedge l8, it will be understood that a lesser or greater number may be used. The greater the number of locking springs, the coarser the serrations 22 that can be used in the side surface of the brace N]. If the serrations remain unchanged, an increase in the number of the locking springs will make it possible to obtain finer adjustments.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A semi-automatic adjustable bracing device for a rail comprising a tie plate having a seat portion for the base of the rail, a stop member fastened to the tie plate spaced from said rail,said member having a slot in its inner upper corner, an adjustable brace extending from the rail to said tie plate in the direction of the stop mem her, said brace containing an opening therein intermediate its ends, an inverted U member fastened to the tie plate and extending upwardly through said opening, the length of the inverted U member being slightly less than the length of said opening and the width of the inverted U member being substantially less than the width of said opening, said stop member and brace being separated to provide a space therebetween which is Wider at one end than at the other, a wedge in said space, said wedge having a longitudinal slot therein open to one of its sides, a series of serrations in the lateral surface of the brace adjacent said longitudinal slot, at least one leaf spring having one end fastened to the wedge adjacent the narrow end thereof and the other end extending into said longitudinal slot, the free end of said spring normally extending into one of said serrations and being driven therefrom to another one of said serrations when the wedge is driven in the direction of its narrow end, and a spring clip extendin through the inverted U member with one end bearing on the base of the rail and the other resting in the slot in the stop member.

2. A semi-automatic adjustable bracing device for a rail comprising a tie plate having a seat portion for the base of the rail, a stop member fastened to the tie plate spaced from said rail, said member having a slot in its inner upper corner, an adjustable brace extending from the rail to said tie plate in the direction of the stop member, said brace containing an opening therein intermediate it ends, an inverted U member fastened to the tie plate and extending upwardly through said opening, the length of the inverted U member being slightly less than the length of said opening and the width of the inverted U member being substantially less than the width of said opening, said stop member and brace being separated to provide a space therebetween which is wider at one end than at the other, a wedge in said space, said wedge having a longitudinal slot therein open to one of its sides and a bent opening at the narrow end thereof communicating with said longitudinal slot, a series of serrations in the lateral surface of the brace adjacent said longitudinal slot, at

least one leaf spring having one end bent and forced into said bent opening and extending longitudinally therefrom into the longitudinal slot, the free end of said spring normally extending into one of said serrations and being driven therefrom to another one of said serrations when the wedge is driven in the direction of its narrow end, and a spring clip which extends through the inverted U member with one end bearing on the base of the rail and the other resting in the slot in the stop member.

3. A semi-automatic adjustable bracing device for a rail comprising a tie plate having a seat portion for the base of the rail, a stop member fastened to the tie plate spaced from said rail, an adjustable brace extending from the rail to said tie plate in the direction of the stop member, said brace containing an opening therein intermediate its ends, an inverted U member fastened to the tie plate and extending upwardly through said opening, the length of the inverted U member being slightly less than the length of said opening and the width of the inverted U member being substantially less than the width of said opening, said stop member and brace being separated to provide a space therebetween which is wider at one end than at the other, a wedge in said space, said wedge having a longitudinal slot therein open to one of its sides, a series of serrations in the lateral surface of the brace adjacent said slot, at least one leaf spring having one end fastened to the wedge adjacent the narrow end thereof and the other end extending into said slot, the free end of said spring normally extending into one of said serrations and being driven therefrom to another one of said serrations when the wedge is driven in the direction of its narrow end, means extending through said inverted U-member with one end bearing on the base of the rail and the other end extending over said wedge in close proximity thereto for limiting upward movement of the elements of said device, and means for holding the last named means against outward movement.

GEORGE. S. VICKROY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 919,783 Shay et al. Apr. 27, 1909 1,872,848 Told Aug. 23, 1932 1,888,648 Woodings Nov. 22, 1932 2,356,080 Nordberg Aug. 15, 1944 

